Patents by Inventor Ken Imamura

Ken Imamura has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220097717
    Abstract: An operating noise estimation device for a vehicle on-board component, an operating sound estimation method for a vehicle on-board component, and a memory medium are provided. The vehicle on-board component is operated by rotation that is output by a drive source of a vehicle. One of an independently-operating sound index value and a coupling-associated operating sound index value is an input-side index value, and the other one is an output-side index value. A neural network is trained using, for training data, a measurement value of the independently-operating sound index value and a measurement value of the coupling-associated operating sound index value for an individual vehicle on-board component. The execution device estimates, using the trained neural network, a value of the output-side index value of the vehicle on-board component in which the input-side index value is a specified value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220099515
    Abstract: An oil pressure estimation device for calculating an estimated differential pressure that is an estimated value of a differential pressure between two oil chambers generated in a torque converter including the two oil chambers and a lockup clutch includes a storage device and an execution device. The storage device stores mapping data defining a mapping, the mapping outputting as an output variable an estimated differential pressure variable indicating the estimated differential pressure, in response to input of an input variable, and the mapping having been trained by machine learning. The mapping includes an instruction differential pressure variable indicating the instruction differential pressure as one of a plurality of the input variables. The execution device executes an acquisition process of acquiring a value of the input variable and a calculation process of inputting the value of the input variable into the mapping to calculate a value of the output variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA
  • Patent number: 11287034
    Abstract: Provided is a lockup control device and a lockup control method for a vehicle power transmission device provided with a fluid transmission device including a lockup clutch. The lockup clutch is controlled to perform slip-engagement such that a differential rotation between an input-side rotating member and an output-side rotating member of the fluid transmission device is a target differential rotation set in advance, and the target differential rotation is corrected based on transition of a heat accumulation amount applied to friction members of the lockup clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Imamura
  • Patent number: 11274742
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for controlling a control-subject component provided in a vehicle, by using a learning value of a control parameter which is obtained by a learning operation. The control apparatus includes an obtaining portion for obtaining information related to converged values of learning values of control parameters in a plurality of vehicles provided with respective control-subject components which are the same in type as the control-subject component provided in the vehicle, and a variation determination portion for determining whether a degree of variation among the converged values in the respective vehicles is smaller than a threshold value. The vehicle control apparatus causes the learning value to be converged by a smaller number of times of execution of the learning operation when the degree of the variation is smaller than the threshold value, than when the degree of the variation is not smaller than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Ken Imamura
  • Patent number: 11274744
    Abstract: A fault evaluation device for an automatic transmission evaluates a fault of the automatic transmission. The fault evaluation device is used for a vehicle having the automatic transmission and a control device configured to execute a learning process for correcting a target pressure for oil to be supplied to the automatic transmission such that variations in acceleration of the vehicle during shifting of the automatic transmission are small. The fault evaluation device includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores mapping data that prescribe mapping. The processor is configured to output an output variable, which is an evaluation value that indicates the presence or absence of the fault of the automatic transmission, when an input variable is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota Fujii, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Ken Imamura
  • Publication number: 20220073075
    Abstract: A training method includes: a simulation step outputting, by a simulator, a characteristic variable based on an input parameter set, the parameter set being input to the simulator and indicating that a specific component is presumed to have an abnormality in advance; and a training step updating, by a training device, mapping based on an input training data and an input teaching data, the input variables being input to the training device as the training data, the input variables including the characteristic variable output in the simulation step, the abnormality determination variable being input to the training device as the teaching data, the abnormality determination variable indicating that the specific component has the abnormality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi OKUDA, Atsushi TABATA, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220042594
    Abstract: A heat load estimation device for a friction engaging element that estimates a heat load when at least one of a temperature, a heat generation amount, and presence or absence of seizure in the friction engaging element at a time of shifting of the transmission is regarded as the heat load, includes a storage device and an execution device. The storage device stores mapping data defining mapping. The mapping includes, as an input variable, a speed variable that is a variable indicating a relative rotation speed of members of the friction engaging element and a hydraulic pressure variable that is a variable indicating hydraulic pressure during the shifting of the transmission, and includes, as an output variable, the heat load. The execution device executes a calculation process for calculating a value of the output variable and a change process for changing an execution mode of the calculation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Keita SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220042597
    Abstract: A hydraulic pressure calculation apparatus is applied to a gear shifting system including a transmission configured to switch between a connected state and a disconnected state of a friction engagement element depending on a hydraulic pressure supplied from a hydraulic circuit, and a hydraulic controller configured to control the hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic pressure calculation apparatus includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores pieces of mapping data of a plurality of phases obtained by dividing a period from a start to an end of switching between the connected state and the disconnected state of the friction engagement element. Each piece of the mapping data defines a mapping. The processor is configured to output, as an output variable, an estimated hydraulic pressure variable indicating an estimated value of an actual hydraulic pressure supplied from the hydraulic circuit to the friction engagement element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Keita SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220042557
    Abstract: An apparatus to be applied to a vehicle including a transmission configured to execute a gear shifting operation for changing a gear ratio by engaging or disengaging friction engagement elements having friction members pushed by a piston that moves through hydraulic pressure supply to an oil chamber, the apparatus including: a memory storing mapping data for defining mapping, the mapping including a pressure variable and a period variable as input variables, the mapping including a stroke amount as an output variable, the pressure variable indicating a waiting pressure, the period variable indicating a waiting period; and a processor configured to: acquire values of the input variables, and calculate a value of the output variable by inputting, to the mapping, the acquired values of the input variables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Kota FUJII, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220042595
    Abstract: A temperature estimation device for friction engaging elements including an execution device and a storage device is provided. The storage device stores mapping data that defines mapping. The mapping includes, as an input variable, a heat amount variable that is a variable indicating an amount of heat generated by the friction engaging elements during the shifting of the transmission and a shifting variable indicating the friction engaging elements to be engaged at the time of the shifting of the transmission, and, as an output variable, the temperature. The execution device executes an acquisition process of acquiring a value of the input variable and a calculation process of inputting the value of the input variable acquired by the acquisition process into the mapping to calculate a value of the output variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220034398
    Abstract: A gear-shift control data generation method executed by an execution device in a state where relational regulation data used for regulating a relationship between a state of a vehicle and an action variable associated with an operation of a transmission is stored includes a process for acquiring the vehicle state, a process for operating the transmission, a process for assigning, based on the vehicle state, a higher reward when a characteristic of the vehicle satisfies a criterion than when the characteristic does not satisfy the criterion, and a process for updating the relational regulation data by inputting, to an update mapping, the vehicle state, a value of the action variable, and a reward corresponding to the operation. The update mapping outputs the relational regulation data that is updated to increase an expected profit for the reward when the transmission is operated according to the relational regulation data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Keita SASAKI
  • Patent number: 11236819
    Abstract: A gear-shift control data generation method executed by an execution device in a state where relational regulation data used for regulating a relationship between a state of a vehicle and an action variable associated with an operation of a transmission is stored includes a process for acquiring the vehicle state, a process for operating the transmission, a process for assigning, based on the vehicle state, a higher reward when a characteristic of the vehicle satisfies a criterion than when the characteristic does not satisfy the criterion, and a process for updating the relational regulation data by inputting, to an update mapping, the vehicle state, a value of the action variable, and a reward corresponding to the operation. The update mapping outputs the relational regulation data that is updated to increase an expected profit for the reward when the transmission is operated according to the relational regulation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota Fujii, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Ken Imamura, Hideaki Bunazawa, Keita Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20220018433
    Abstract: An oil pressure learning method of an automatic transmission includes acquiring a state of a vehicle in a state where relational regulation data is stored, supplying oil to the automatic transmission such that the value of the oil pressure is set to an oil pressure command value, calculating, as a specific variable, a variable representing an amount in which a detected input rotation speed exceeds a target input rotation speed, or the like, calculating a reward in a manner in which it has a larger value when the specific variable satisfies a criterion than when it does not satisfy the criterion, updating the relational regulation data by inputting, to an update mapping, the reward and the oil pressure command value, and calculating a torque variable having a value that is increased as an amount of change in an input torque is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Kota FUJII, Keita SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220018431
    Abstract: A device for a vehicle including: a memory configured to store mapping data including machine learning data defining a mapping that uses an estimation variable that is a variable indicating a vehicle operation status of the vehicle and a detection value of a sensor detecting an oil temperature of a power transmission device as input variables, and uses an element corresponding to the input variables as an output variable; and a processor configured to: acquire the input variables; use the mapping to acquire the element as the output variable of the mapping corresponding to the input variables; and determine based on the element whether the detection value becomes equal to or higher than a threshold value due to occurrence of an abnormality in the power transmission device or a mode of vehicle operation by the driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220018825
    Abstract: A deterioration estimation device includes a storage device and an execution device. The storage device is configured to store mapping data defining a mapping that outputs an output variable indicating the degree of deterioration of oil when an input variable is input. The mapping includes, as the input variable, a color variable that is a variable indicating a color of the oil and a hydrogen ion variable that is a variable indicating a hydrogen ion concentration of the oil. The execution device is configured to execute an acquisition process that is a process of acquiring the input variable and a calculation process of inputting the input variable acquired through the acquisition process to the mapping to output a value of the output variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Ken IMAMURA, Kota FUJII, Koichi OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20210403000
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a processor and memory. The memory stores relation-defining data for defining a relation between a state of a vehicle and an action variable that is a variable relating to operations of a transmission installed in the vehicle. The processor is configured to execute acquisition processing, operation processing, reward calculation processing, updating processing, counting processing, and limiting processing. The processor is configured to output the relation-defining data updated so that an expected income is increased when the transmission is operated following the relation-defining data, based on an updating map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Kota FUJII, Keita SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20210404551
    Abstract: A fault evaluation device for an automatic transmission evaluates a fault of the automatic transmission. The fault evaluation device is used for a vehicle having the automatic transmission and a control device configured to execute a learning process for correcting a target pressure for oil to be supplied to the automatic transmission such that variations in acceleration of the vehicle during shifting of the automatic transmission are small. The fault evaluation device includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores mapping data that prescribe mapping. The processor is configured to output an output variable, which is an evaluation value that indicates the presence or absence of the fault of the automatic transmission, when an input variable is input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20210403014
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a storage device that stores relation-defining data that is data for defining a relation between a state of a vehicle and an action variable; and an executing device configured to acquire the state, operate a drivetrain device based on a value of the action variable, derive a reward such that the reward is larger when the state of the drivetrain device based on the acquired state satisfies a predetermined criterion, perform an updating of the relation-defining data using an updating map, and restrict the updating of the relation-defining data such that an updating amount of the relation-defining data is smaller when the drivetrain device is subject to a predetermined restriction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Kota FUJII, Keita SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20210388897
    Abstract: A control device provided in a gear shifting device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit determines whether an abnormality of the gear shifting device has occurred, performs a fail-safe process of switching the frictional engagement element corresponding to an abnormality to a disengaged state and fixing the gear shift ratio of the gear shifting device when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred, determines whether the abnormality has been relieved based on a behavior of an input signal at the time of operating a drive device of the frictional engagement element corresponding to an abnormality on condition that the frictional engagement element is maintained in the disengaged state after it is determined that the abnormality has occurred, and releases the fail-safe process when it is determined that the abnormality has been relieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Kota FUJII, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20210390801
    Abstract: An abnormality cause determining device that is applied to a vehicle including an electromagnetic actuator includes a storage device and an execution device. The storage device is configured to store map data which is data for defining a map. The map includes a current variable which is a variable indicating a current flowing actually in the electromagnetic actuator as an input variable and includes a cause variable which is a variable indicating a cause of an abnormality of an onboard unit including the electromagnetic actuator as an output variable. The execution device is configured to perform an acquisition process of acquiring a value of the input variable based on a detection value from a sensor which is mounted in the vehicle and a calculation process of calculating a value of the output variable by inputting the value of the input variable to the map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Shinichi ITO, Kota FUJII